Odd Duck

I don’t know why Odd Duck always makes me feel at home. It’s probably the farm-to-table idea that I learned by osmosis through my grandparents, the comforting flavors and the conviviality of the engaged staff. But more than that, I think it’s the sense at Odd Duck that food is meant to bring people together. It’s the way your intrigued neighbor at the bar leans over to ask how good the seeded pretzel stuffed with pig face carnitas is (very) or what’s buried beneath the fruit and greens of your tostada (fresh crab), or the way the server behind the bar talks about the progress of the beta trials of their house-made root beer.

Odd Duck’s Mexican tendencies show up on taco pizzas with braised goat, quail served al pastor and the city’s best burger slathered with a black bean mayonnaise, and East meets West with smoked chicken steamed buns covered in a shower of peanuts and herbs. And with pastries as good as any bakery in town and a drinks program more interesting than most bars, there’s no detail spared in making sure the experience satisfies any craving or demand.